SPIC MACAY founder Dr Kiran Seth exhorts students to connect with Indian art forms

An IITian and educationist who founded SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture amongst Youth) in 1977, Dr Kiran Seth wanted to give people a shared experience of Indian classical and folk art forms through live concerts, something that was reserved for only a select few during the time. Over the years, the non-profit cultural organisation that curates and promotes Indian classical and folk performing art forms, SPIC MACAY has managed to engage a large number of people, even the youth, to become converts to Indian classical art forms. Not a seasoned musician or artist himself, Dr Seth has got connect with Indian music and dance traditions in terms of art appreciation.

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Dr Kiran Seth started his Punjab tour from Amritsar with a special session hosted by Spring Dale Senior Secondary School. Interacting with the audience that had a large number of students, Dr Seth shared how Dr Manveen Sandhu, an educator and founder-mentor of Spring Dale, brought in Punjabi folk art forms under spotlight through her association with SPIC MACAY. “This organisation turned out to be a movement to revive the pristine glory of the Indian classical music, classical dance forms, folk music and traditional art forms of India by promoting it among the youth, at the grassroots level. The idea was to put spotlight on the rich tapestry of music and dance traditions of India and amplify their reach among the young generation. Today, we have featured concerts of multiple artists of eminence and are connected with so many schools and institutions,” said Dr Seth.

Sharing his journey of promoting the Indian classical art forms and the challenges faced during the initial phase of the movement, Dr Seth encouraged the students to experience the joy of Indian performing art forms. School principal Rajiv Kumar Sharma, who has been himself associated with SPIC MACAY as a volunteer for years now, shared during his address how his fascination for the Indian classical art forms had provided him a connect with SPIC MACAY since his student life. Recalling that Spring Dale’s revered mentor late Manveen Sandhu had been an active associate of SPIC MACAY and how her vision led to the foundation of a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Department in the school, he said it has been instrumental in inculcating love for music and cultural forms of India among generations of students. “The school gives due importance to honing the artistic skills of students under its Experiential Learning Programme. We have many student artists, who are being imparted training in folk and classical art forms,” he said.